Non-Gambling Rick Tocchet News

Finally, a news item involving Rick Tocchet that’s not related to gambling.  From the Edmonton Sun’s Injury Report:

It’s not a comprehensive list, by any means. But here are some of the injuries Oiler Ryan Smyth has suffered over the years.

January 20, 1998

- Torn MCL, courtesy of a Rick Tocchet knee on knee.

Ouch.  Tocchet missed most of his last playing season due to a knee injury that he hurt in training camp that year.

He’s a HOF candidate, we’ll get that positive story involving him one day.

Posted by David M Singer on May 12, 2006 at 04:37 PM
Major Stories • Operation Slapshot • NHL

Comments:

  1. You think Rick Tocchet is a Hall of Fame candidate?  I don’t see him as a serious one.  In terms of Flyers of the last couple decades, I’d place Tim Kerr, Mark Howe, Brian Propp, Brad McCrimmon, Dave Poulin, Ron Hextall, Eric Lindros, John LeClair, Mark Recchi, Eric Desjardins all ahead of him (and I expect most of them never make it).

    Thats a lot of guys.  It would be a big mistake to induct Tocchet - and thats ignoring anything related to gambling.

    Posted by Greg Ballentine on May 12, 2006 at 07:43 PM

  2. I think he’s a candidate and I think Cam Neely has made him a serious one.

    Rick Tocchet
    Cam Neely
    Then you have to add:
    Wendel Clark

    All three could score goals, but obviously they were all known for more than that.  Neely had the best scoring touch out of the three, but I just can’t think that the power forward package that all three had will allow one to get into the HOF and not the other two.

    Posted by David M Singer on May 12, 2006 at 10:40 PM

  3. I think a sign of a questionable Hall of Fame inductee is the number of times he is used as a comparable for other even more questionable choices.

    Cam Neely was a Hall of Fame mistake.  If they induct everyone along who compares to him they will need to induct many more than just 4 a year. 

    Just accept Neely as a mistake and move on.

    Posted by Greg Ballentine on May 13, 2006 at 02:22 AM

  4. Well, I think we’re far apart here.  I don’t think there have been too many players like Cam Neely (Tocchet and Clark are comparable), and I think he was far from a HOF mistake.  There aren’t enough players like him in the HOF and too many get in on raw numbers.  Neely was more than numbers and it was good to see the Hall recognize that.

    Either way - I think you will hear Tocchet’s name on a ballot sooner or later (and that might be when we finally get something positive with his name on it).

    Posted by David M Singer on May 13, 2006 at 02:42 AM

  5. I’ll link to something I once wrote about why Neely is a poor choice for the Hall of Fame.

    Posted by Greg Ballentine on May 13, 2006 at 12:44 PM
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